The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-01-13

they have any manhood and proper
sense Of resentment; if they arc not the
dogs they arc taken for, they will, when
the time comes, see to it that the men
Who thus contemptuously put this in,
dignity upon them are properly reward
ed. If we cannot reorganiZe the agri-
cultural department., we can roorganizc
tho Senate. The farmers of the State
are fast sinking to the level OF scrfs-
| hewers of wood and drawers of water for
others An efficient and representative
board Of agriculture, together with an
agricultural college to act as a pioneer in
mapping out the new system OF fnrming
we are compelled to pursue ere we can
expect any change for the better, could
do much to aid and assist them to re-
cover their lost prosperity. But these
SIX agricultural Solons and their fifteen
professional associates say to them in
effect: 'Nou don't know what YOU want
! we will continue to tax you to support o
department OF agriculture which yon do
! not feel is beneficial to your interests as
now conducted, because we like it, We
VIII vote your money to support the
South Carolina College and Citadel be-
cause we think those schools ere al we
need; but your Agricultural College is q
humbug. We know it. Wisdom will
die with us SO we will not oven spend
your own money to investigate the mat
ter and Let commission report SO VIC
can act intelligenty."
1t may be said the farmers in the Sen
ate were divided, as they were six for
and six against the bill. Then if the
professional men in the Senate had
needed light rs TO the wishes of the
farmers Of the State, if tho actions Of
two farmers convention had no weight,
the almost unanimous vote by which the
bill passed the House, composed largely
of farmers, should have made them hesi-
tate to postpone it.
But / have my own opinion as to how
this thing was brought about. visited
Columbia three times during the recent
session OF the Legislature. L kept my
eyes and ears open. l learned q great
deal that would be of value to the peo-
pie II L had time to tell it, and 1 will,
when occasion offers, let out some of the
'truc inwardness" Of what ( saw and
learned. [ could tell why and how the
hopes of the people as regards reforms
! and reduction Of expenditures &c., re-
suited only in the cutting off Of IL beg
carly thousand dollars-the Lieutenant
Governors salary. / could show that
once all abuse is planted and takes root
| In South Carolina it is harder than nut
grass to get rid of. But just now I will
only give my belief as to why the Senate
postponed the bill to rcorganize the
agricultural department.. OF course
some Of the Senators voted against it
because of their resentment against
''Tillman dictation," for Mr.. Gonzales
says SO; some voted-two at least-be-
cause they never vote against one of the
| Senators from Charleston, 50 / All told !;
others voted against it because / am
credited with having had much to do
with the slaughter OF The Columbia
Canal and the Ring wanted revenge,
though, to tell the truth, I aln totally
innocent III that matter. Some voted
against it because farmers and farmers
movements" stink in their nostl.ils. But
the real cause, though many Senators
do not know it perhaps, is that the
phosphate interests Of the State arc con-
trolled by the department of agriculture,
and the Coosaw Mining Compny is too
we'll satisfied with the present manage
mont OF that interest to allow Il change
II it could prevent it!
Why board Of agriculture should
have anything to do with collecting
mining royalty, farmers Of ordinary in
teuigence cannot understand. We do
not sec the connection between the two,
but perhaps some Of those who started
this thing, and some Of those who keep
it up, can give us light. This board Of
agriculture, which is liked so well, has
spent $l70, 600 since its creation in 1880,
and we would like some one to tell us
what benefit it has been to us farmers,
who pay for it alone. VIII some Senator,
''agriculturalist' or otherwise, answer?
Or will some member of tho board tell
us? b. r. TIbEMAN.
Ropcr's, S. c., january l, 1887.